The Lord our God is Lord alone

The Lord our God is Lord alone

Hear, O Israel!   The Lord our God is Lord alone!   You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

Every morning, the first thing that Jews in ancient Israel did was recite the prayer above, a prayer called the Shema.   It’s also the prayer that is written on a small piece of parchment and fixed to their doorposts for them to touch every time they passed through the door.   So it’s no surprise that Jesus used this prayer to answer the scribe’s question about the greatest commandment.

This beautiful prayer proclaimed that Israel only had one God, and that he was God over all of creation.   He wasn’t just another god like the idols of neighboring nations;  he was and is omnipotent and loving, powerful and faithful.   This is the God who created the universe and everything in it.   This is the same God who made a covenant with the people of Israel out of his love for them.   History had shown him to be faithful, even when Israel wasn’t.   For all of these reasons, God was worthy of their obedience and love.

We might not be as familiar with the Shema as this scribe was, but Jesus makes it clear that it is just as important to us today.   It reminds us what’s central to our faith:  who God is and how we should relate to him.   He is the Lord of all, and it is only fitting that we try to love him with all that we are.

Do something different today.   Before you leave home, and again as you get ready for bed tonight, pray the Shema.   As you make this prayer, remind yourself that you only have one God.   Consider his greatness and the mercy he has shown you, and acknowledge him as Lord.   Then, in your own words, tell him that you want to love and serve him with all of your heart and soul, mind and strength.   Do it again when you start the day tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.   Let this consecration develop into a daily habit.   Over time, you’ll find yourself feeling closer to the Lord throughout your day.

word among us